Electrical Wholesalers (Industrial Report) - UK - March 2014
“Following the economic downturn, subsequent flat economy and consequent lack of consistent development in both construction activity and critically the electrical contracting market, prospects materially changed in 2013. Growth in that year remained quite weak at 3% in nominal terms for the electrical wholesale market, but that is now expected to turn to 3/4% real growth per annum over the next few years, with strong areas of demand growth in new housing and office construction in particular. Price pressure remains in the market and the price transparency created by the internet suggest that this will be a continued feature, yet the market will also be stimulated by a range of trends outside of economic developments.”
– Terry Leggett, Senior Analyst
This report covers the market for the wholesale distribution of electrical components and materials, largely, though not exclusively, supplying the building and construction sector.
Distributors stock a wide range of electrical components and materials, including various combinations of the following products:
- Cable management products, including cables, cable ties, conduits, terminals and trunking
- Circuit protection equipment, including circuit breakers, residual current devices, enclosures, panel boards, distribution boards, fuses and fuse boards
- Wiring accessories, including junction boxes, switches, socket boxes, plugs and sockets, connectors, moulded boxes and earthing clamps
- Lighting equipment, such as lamp holders, lamps, tubes, emergency lighting, security lighting, outdoor lighting, trunking and transformers
- Fire & security equipment, including fire alarms, security alarms, timers, door entry systems and personal security products
- Heating and ventilation products, comprising space heaters, showers, water heaters and relays
- Power supply & control equipment, such as batteries, motor starters and relays
- Tools, including hand tools, fixings, tape and insulation materials
All values are at current prices unless otherwise specified.

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Table of contents
Executive Summary
- The market
- Figure 1: UK electrical wholesalers market, 2009-13 actual and 2014-19 forecast
- Figure 2: Product segmentation for UK electrical wholesalers market, 2013
- Figure 3: Product segmentation for UK wiring accessories market, 2013
- Market factors
- Figure 4: UK electrical contractor market, 2009-13 actual and 2014-19 forecast
- Companies
- What we think
Introduction
- Definitions
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Market positioning
- UK economy
- Inflation
- Interest rates
- House prices
- Consumer spending
- Manufacturing
- Business investment
- Imports
- Exports
- Market factors
- Definitions
Market Size and Trends
- Chapter summary
- Market size
- Figure 5: The UK electrical wholesalers market, 2009-13
- Figure 6: The UK electrical wholesalers market graph, 2009-13
- Market segmentation
- Figure 7: The UK electrical wholesalers market, by sector, 2013
- Market trends
- Buying groups
- Pricing
- E-commerce
- Seasonality of demand
- Figure 8: Seasonality of private housing output, 2009-13
- Figure 9: Seasonality of public housing output, 2009-13
- Figure 10: Seasonality of public non-residential construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 11: Seasonality of private commercial construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 12: Seasonality of private industrial construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 13: Seasonality of public housing repair and maintenance output, 2009-13
- Figure 14: Seasonality of private housing repair and maintenance output, 2009-13
- Regional sales
- Figure 15: Regional private housing construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 16: Regional public housing construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 17: Regional public non-residential construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 18: Regional private commercial construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 19: Regional private industrial construction output, 2009-13
- Figure 20: Regional housing repair and maintenance output, 2009-13
- Figure 21: Regional private non-residential repair and maintenance output, 2009-13
- Figure 22: Regional public non-residential repair and maintenance output, 2009-13
- Chapter summary
Demand Structure
- Chapter summary
- Electrical contracting
- Overview
- Figure 23: Electrical contracting output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 24: UK electrical contractor market, 2009-13
- Figure 25: Analysis of electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type of work, 2009-13
- Figure 26: Segmentation of electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type of work, 2009-13
- New construction work
- Figure 27: Segmentation of electrical contracting output for new construction projects in Great Britain, by type, 2009-13
- Figure 28: Segmentation of new construction electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type of work, 2009-13
- Repair and maintenance work
- Figure 29: Segmentation of electrical contracting output for repair and maintenance projects in Great Britain, by type, 2009-13
- Figure 30: Segmentation of electrical contracting output for repair and maintenance projects in Great Britain graph, by type of work, 2009-13
- House building
- Figure 31: Analysis of the composition of the housing construction market in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 32: Analysis of private housing construction output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 33: Private new housing starts and completions in the UK, 2010-13
- Figure 34: Analysis of new public housing construction output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 35: Public housing starts and completions in the UK, 2010-13
- Figure 36: Forecast private housing output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 37: Forecast public housing output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Public non-residential construction
- Health
- Education
- “Other” sector
- Figure 38: Analysis of the composition of the public non-residential construction market in Great Britain, 2009 and 2013
- Figure 39: Analysis of public sector non-residential construction output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 40: Analysis of public sector non-residential construction in Great Britain, by type, 2009-13
- Figure 41: Forecast public non-residential construction output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 42: Forecast of public non-residential construction in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Private industrial construction
- Figure 43: Analysis of private industrial construction output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 44: Analysis of private industrial new construction work in Great Britain, by sector 2009-13
- Figure 45: UK private industrial construction, 2009-13 actual and 2014-19 forecast
- Figure 46: Forecast private industrial construction output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 47: Forecast of private industrial new construction work in Great Britain, by sector 2014-18
- Private commercial construction
- Figure 48: Analysis of the composition of the private commercial construction market in Great Britain, 2009 and 2013
- Offices
- Shops
- Education
- Health
- Figure 49: Analysis of private commercial construction output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 50: Analysis of private commercial construction in Great Britain, by type, 2009-13
- Figure 51: Forecast private commercial construction output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 52: Forecast of private commercial construction in Great Britain, by sector, 2014-18
- Repair and maintenance
- Figure 53: Analysis of repair and maintenance output in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 54: UK repair and maintenance construction, 2009-13 actual and 2014-19 forecast
- Figure 55: Analysis of Decent Homes backlog programme allocations, 2011-15
- Figure 56: Analysis of repair and maintenance output in the public housing sector in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 57: Analysis of repair and maintenance output in the private housing sector in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 58: Analysis of repair and maintenance output in the public non-residential sector in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 59: Analysis of repair and maintenance output in the private nonresidential sector in Great Britain, 2009-13
- Figure 60: Forecast repair and maintenance construction output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 61: Forecast repair and maintenance construction output in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 62: Forecast repair and maintenance construction output in Great Britain graph, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 63: Forecast repair and maintenance output in the public housing sector in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 64: Forecast repair and maintenance output in the private housing sector in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 65: Forecast public non-residential construction output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 66: Forecast of public non-residential construction in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 67: Forecast repair and maintenance output in the private non-residential sector in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Chapter summary
Industry Structure
- Chapter summary
- Industry development
- Company profiles
- CEF Holdings
- Figure 68: Financial analysis of CEF Holdings, 2011-13
- Cleveland Cable Co
- Figure 69: Financial analysis of Cleveland Cable Company, 2009-13
- Edmundson Electrical
- Figure 70: Financial analysis of Edmundson Electrical, 2008-12
- Eyre & Elliston Holdings
- Figure 71: Financial analysis of Eyre & Elliston Holdings, 2008-12
- Holland House Electrical
- Figure 72: Financial analysis of Holland House Electrical Company, 2009-13
- Rexel UK
- Figure 73: Financial analysis of Rexel UK, 2008-12
- Figure 74: Financial analysis of Rexel Senate, 2008-12
- Figure 75: Financial analysis of Denmans Electrical Wholesalers, 2007-11
- Stearn Electric Co
- Figure 76: Financial Analysis of Stearn Electric Company, 2007-11
- William Wilson
- Figure 77: Financial analysis of William Wilson, 2008-12
- Chapter summary
Forecast
- Chapter summary
- Market size
- Electrical contracting
- Figure 78: Forecast electrical contracting output in Great Britain, 2014-18
- Figure 79: Forecast analysis of electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type of work, 2014-18
- Figure 80: Forecast electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 81: Forecast segmentation of electrical contracting output for new construction projects in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 82: Forecast new construction electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 83: Forecast segmentation of electrical engineering output for repair and maintenance activity in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- Figure 84: Forecast repair and maintenance electrical contracting output in Great Britain, by type, 2014-18
- The wholesale market
- Figure 85: Forecast UK electrical wholesalers market graph, 2014-18
- Figure 86: Forecast UK electrical wholesalers market, 2014-18
- Industry
- Chapter summary
Further Sources and Contacts
- Trade associations
- Trade magazines
- Trade exhibition
- Trade associations
Electrical Wholesalers (Industrial Report) - UK - March 2014